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WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC BOTANY ISSN 0085-4417 G Nicolle, D. A rare and endangered new subspecies of Eucalyptus sargentii (Myrtaceae) with high potential for revegetation of saline sites from south-western Australia and notes on E. diminuta and E. sargentii subsp. fallens Nuytsia 15(3): 395–402 (2005) All enquiries and manuscripts should be directed to: The Editor – NUYTSIA Western Australian Herbarium Telephone: +61 8 9334 0500 Conservation and Land Management Facsimile: +61 8 9334 0515 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Email: [email protected] Western Australia 6983 Web: science.calm.wa.gov.au/nuytsia/ AUSTRALIA All material in this journal is copyright and may not be reproduced except with the written permission of the publishers. © Copyright Department of Conservation and Land Management . D.Nuytsia Nicolle, 15(3):395–402(2005) A rare and endangered new subspecies of Eucalyptus sargentii 395 A rare and endangered new subspecies of Eucalyptus sargentii (Myrtaceae) with high potential for revegetation of saline sites from south- western Australia and notes on E. diminuta and E. sargentii subsp. fallens D. Nicolle School of Biological Sciences, The Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia Abstract Nicolle, D. A rare and endangered new subspecies of Eucalyptus sargentii (Myrtaceae) with high potential for revegetation of saline sites from south-western Australia and notes on E. diminuta and E. sargentii subsp. fallens. Nuytsia 15(3): 395–402 (2005). Eucalyptus sargentii subsp. onesia Nicolle subsp. nov. is described. It is known from less than ten small populations in the central wheatbelt of south- west Western Australia, with all populations occurring on highly saline sites and possibly endangered by increasing salinisation. E. sargentii subsp. onesia differs from subsp. sargentii primarily in the lignotuberous, mallee habit, making it preferable to subsp. sargentii for salt reclamation projects, due to its propensity to regenerate following fire or cutting. Extensive field examination, seedling trials and observations of cultivated material have indicated that E. sargentii subsp. fallens is not specifically distinct from E. diminuta and I regard the former as synonymous with the latter. E. diminuta is recircumscribed to include populations from Eurardy Station in the north to near Watheroo in the south. Introduction Recent field research of Eucalyptus sargentii and E. diminuta, combined with seedling studies of these species and observations of cultivated material over a number of years (Nicolle 2000), has indicated that the recognition of three taxa (E. diminuta and E. sargentii with subspp. sargentii and fallens) is not indicative of the variation within the two species nor of the relationship between the three taxa. While two subspecies within E. sargentii have been recognized (Hill & Johnson 1992), I regard subsp. fallens as within the variation seen in E. diminuta and recircumscribe E. diminuta to include both newly- collected populations and populations previously attributable to E. sargentii subsp. fallens. Aside from E. sargentii subsp. fallens, field surveys have indicated two variants of E. sargentii, a non-lignotuberous mallet and a lignotuberous mallee. This latter variant is described as a new subspecies. The new subspecies is numerically rare, but has a high potential for use in the revegetation of saline sites in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. 395-402.p65 395 11/30/2005, 12:20 PM 396 Nuytsia Vol. 15, No. 3 (2005) Taxonomy E. sargentii and E. diminuta are part of Eucalyptus ser. Erectae subser. Pedicellatae, along with E. astringens, E. aspratilis, E. occidentalis, E. stowardii, E. sporadica and E. thamnoides. The classification and distinguishing features of this subseries within Eucalyptus are as follows (modified from Brooker 2000). E. subg. Symphyomyrtus (Schauer) Brooker – cotyledons folded in seeds; buds bi-operculate; seeds with ventral or terminal hilum; seed coat formed from both integuments. E. sect. Bisectae Maiden ex Brooker – Cotyledons bisected; inflorescences axillary. E. subsect. Glandulosae Brooker – Pith of branchlets with glands. E. ser. Erectae Brooker – Mallees or mallets; inflorescences single in axils; operculum long; staminal filaments erect. E. subser. Pedicellatae Blakely – Leaf oil glands not obscuring secondary venation; peduncle flattened or terete; buds held loosely. This treatment deals only with E. sargentii and E. diminuta. These two species, along with E. stowardii, can be distinguished from the other taxa of the subseries by the terete to angular and parallel-sided peduncles (flattened and distally broadened in the other taxa). E. stowardii differs from both E. diminuta and E. sargentii in the broader, thicker and much glossier adult leaves (to 30 mm wide); the broader, distinctly ribbed buds with a more obtuse operculum and the larger, ribbed fruits (to 15 mm long x 13 mm wide). Both E. sargentii (especially subsp. onesia) and E. diminuta could be confused with E. sporadica, but the latter can be distinguished by the larger (longer and broader) adult leaves, the flattened and distally broadened peduncles and the larger, often less obconical fruit. E. sporadica occurs to the south and east of the distribution of E. sargentii subsp. onesia and E. diminuta, but overlaps the distribution of E. sargentii subsp. sargentii, being ecologically separated (the mallee E. sporadica occurring on well- drained sands or gravelly loams, often in minor creek lines; the mallet E. sargentii subsp. sargentii being restricted to lowland saline sites). Eucalyptus sargentii Maiden, Critical Revision of the Genus Eucalyptus 7: 58 (1924). Type: Meare Lake, W.A., Sept. 1910, O.H. Sargent 707 (holo: NSW; iso: CANB). The non-lignotuberous, obligate seeder variant of E. sargentii occurs at the type locality of Lake Meares, in the Salt River valley between Quairading and Brookton, W.A. E. sargentii is distinguished within E. subser. Pedicellatae by its combination of narrow, linear juvenile leaves, narrow adult leaves, terete peduncles and pedicels and small buds and fruit. E. sargentii is distinguished from E. diminuta by the narrower, linear seedling leaves, the narrower adult leaves and the smaller buds and fruits. 395-402.p65 396 11/30/2005, 12:20 PM D. Nicolle, A rare and endangered new subspecies of Eucalyptus sargentii 397 Tree without a lignotuber (mallet), or mallee with a lignotuber. Bark rough on trunk(s) up to 4 metres or completely smooth; rough bark ribbony or flaky-fibrous, dark grey to dark grey-brown; smooth bark decorticating in strips, ±glossy, grey to light grey-brown over pink, orange or coppery. Branchlets non- pruinose, pith glands present. Seedling leaves distinctly petiolate, disjunct from pair 2–4, linear or linear- falcate, 40–80 mm long x 5.5–6.5 mm wide, concolorous to weakly discolorous, non-pruinose, dull, pale green to slightly blue-green. Adult leaves disjunct, narrow-lanceolate, petiole 8–12 mm long; lamina 45–80 mm long x 5–10(–14) mm wide, concolorous, slightly glossy and somewhat blue-green at first, maturing glossy, green to dark olive-green; reticulation sparse to moderately sparse; island oil glands moderately dense but not obscuring secondary venation. Inflorescence axillary, single, loosely pendulous; peduncles terete, slightly distally broadened, 11–16 mm long; pedicels terete, 3–7 mm long. Flower buds 14–24 mm long x 3–5 mm wide, hypanthium smooth, cylindrical to obconical; operculum smooth, cylindrical-horn-shaped, 9–19 mm long. Flowers white; stamens erect in bud, all fertile; anthers versatile. Fruits smooth, slightly campanulate to obconical, 6–10 mm long x 5–9 mm wide, operculum scar level to slightly ascending, 1–1.5 mm wide; disc descending, c. 1 mm wide; valves 4, slightly spreading, at rim level to exserted. Seed grey-brown to red-brown, compressed-ovoid, reticulation shallow. There are two subspecies, both restricted to locally low-lying and highly saline sites, typically fringing salt lakes or in broad saline valley flats. Notes. E. sargentii is closely related to E. stowardii and E. diminuta and is most reliably distinguished from both these species by the narrow, linear juvenile leaves compared with the broader, lanceolate juvenile leaves of the latter two species. E. sargentii also differs in the smaller adult leaves, buds and fruits in relation to these two species. The presence of rough bark in both subspecies of E. sargentii (as well as in E. diminuta) is variable and is apparently dependent on stem diameter and thus plant size and maturity. Mature individuals of subsp. sargentii are usually rough-barked on the lower trunk due to their larger stature compared with subsp. onesia. However, a completely smooth-barked population of large-sized subsp. sargentii is known (D. Nicolle 4412 & M.I.H. Brooker; 2.7 km E of Koorikin Rd on Kondinin – Corrigin Rd, W.A.). Two subspecies are recognised differing primarily in regenerative strategy and plant form. Hybrids and intergrades between the subspecies are not known. Key to the subspecies of E. sargentii 1. Obligate seeder; lignotuber absent; tree ............................................................. subsp. sargentii 1. Resprouter; lignotuber present; mallee ................................................................... subsp. onesia Eucalyptus sargentii subsp. sargentii Distinguished from subsp. onesia by the absence of a lignotuber and the erect tree (mallet) habit. Mallet, usually erect-stemmed and with a terminal crown, 5 to 12 metres tall. Lignotuber absent. Bark persistent and rough on the trunk for one to four metres, flaky-fibrous; smooth above, decorticating in ribbony strips; very rarely smooth-barked throughout. 395-402.p65 397 11/30/2005, 12:20 PM 398 Nuytsia Vol. 15, No. 3 (2005) Specimens examined (north to south): WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Damboring East Rd, S of Pithara, 30° 28' 59"S, 116° 44' 23"E, 3 Aug. 2002, D. Nicolle 4443 & M. French (CANB, PERTH); S of Koorda towards Wyalkatchem, 30° 47' 57"S, 117° 19' 15"E, 19 Apr. 1998, D. Nicolle 2229 (PERTH); private property 5.8 miles NE of Hines Hill, 25 Nov. 1970, J. Baker 135 (AD, CANB); Rabbit-proof fence, 2.7 miles E Cunderdin, 12 May 1967, G.